Hot Ballot Item

Recently, I wrote a letter to the Naples Daily News regarding Amendment 2 on the ballot in Florida November 4th. If Amendment 2 passes legalizing medical marijuana, legal recreational use will follow quickly, opening “Pandora’s Box” for the next generation. The war against marijuana has been a spiritual battle fought in our culture for many decades. The Bible says, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery… those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21NKJV). In this verse, the word “sorcery” in Greek is pharmakeia or “pharmacy” meaning the “use or the administering of drugs” in reference to hallucinogens, not beneficial pharmaceutical drugs. Further, instead of promoting more drugs in our culture, Christians should be pointing citizens towards Jesus Christ, who has the power to heal all our diseases, and gives us His free gift of eternal life. “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up” (James 5:15 ESV).

It is time for parachurch organizations to lead by educating on politics and government according to the Bible and motivate Christians to speak publicly on these moral and political issues of the day. If Christians remain silent, then where will our moral standards come from?

Letter: Hot ballot item

The hot item on the ballot for Floridians on Nov. 4 is Amendment 2, the legalizing of medical marijuana.

If this amendment passes, it would open the door for a pot store to eventually appear on every corner and allow our nation to literally go “up in smoke.”

The church in America needs to wake up and begin to influence our culture and politicians in the light of biblical principles. Since the “Johnson Amendment” was introduced in 1954, the church has been negligent in responding to moral issues, leaving a vacuum in the moral leadership of our culture today.

The positive changes that need to take place in our state and national policies must be led by God’s people. Charles Finney, an American minister of the Second Great Awakening, stated: “The church must take right ground in regard to politics. … Politics are part of a religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God. … (God) will bless or curse this nation, according to the course (Christians) take (in politics).”

Christians in America should be motivated to be involved in our nation’s affairs because without a sense of religion and morality the terrors of the world will come on our society and leave man to do “what (is) right in his own eyes.”